THAILAND, Aug 14 – The Centre of Hydrogen Energy (CHE) at the Institute of Future Energy (IFE), Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), recently organized a research visit to Chulalongkorn University (CU) and King Mongkut’s University of Technology (KMUT) North Bangkok in Thailand. The visit was led by Prof. Dr. Aishah Abd Jalil, Director of CHE, together with delegates of Prof. Dr. Mohamed Mahmoud El-Sayed Nasef, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Rafiziana Md. Kasmani, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Roshafima Rasit Ali, Dr. Nurfatehah Wahyuny Che Jusoh, and Mrs. D. Dahyuna Mohd Yunos.
The purpose of the visit was to enhance collaboration and knowledge exchange in hydrogen energy and carbon capture technologies, which are crucial for advancing sustainable energy solutions. Representatives from CHE UTM met with Prof. Soorathep Khewhom, Head of the Department of Chemical Engineering, and Assoc. Prof. Supareak Praserthdam, Director of Excellence on Catalysis and Catalytic Reaction Engineering (CECC) at CU, to explore partnership opportunities for international research grants and to discuss the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). Additionally, CHE UTM extended an invitation to Prof. Khewhom to be a keynote speaker at the upcoming International Conference on Fuel Cell & Hydrogen Technology (ICFCHT) 2025.
The visit included a productive meeting with Prof. Suttichai Assabumrungat, Director of Bio-Circular-Green Economy Technology and Engineering (BCGeTEC), along with his team members, Dr. Teerat Vachanukrauh and Dr. Merika Chanthanumataporn. The discussion focused on hydrogen production, exchanging experiences in industrial partnerships, and identifying potential opportunities for collaborative grant applications.
The CHE UTM team visited the Metallurgy and Material Science Research Institute (MMRI) at CU the following day. They were welcomed by Prof. Jiaqian Qin and Dr. Noppakhate Jiraborvornpongsa. The CHE representatives received positive feedback throughout the visit regarding potential collaboration and partnership opportunities with MMRI. Established in 1986, MMRI is a prominent materials research center in Thailand, focusing on advancing materials technology to promote sustainability and improve manufacturing efficiency across various industries and communities.
In the afternoon, the CHE delegation visited Associate Professor Dr. Unalome Wetwatana Hartley and her team at the Catalysis and Reaction Engineering Laboratory (CATRE) at The Sirindhorn International Thai-German Graduate School of Engineering (TGGS), located at KMUT North Bangkok. The focus of the discussions was to explore potential joint research projects and collaborative grant applications in the field of hydrogen-related research.
Overall, this visit is expected to strengthen the foundation for future research initiatives at CHE UTM. It will promote collaborative projects and resource sharing to advance cutting-edge hydrogen energy solutions in the region.
Prepared by: Nurfatehah Wahyuny and Rafiziana Md. Kasmani